Sheet-registering mechanism.



PATENTED MAY 17, 1904.

T. 0. DEXTER. SHEET. REGISTERING MECHANISM.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1903.

4 SHBBTB-SHEET 1.

no MODEL.

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N0 MODEL.

UIIIIIIIIN I I III" PATENTED MAY 17, 1904. T. G. DEXTERFI SHEETREGISTERING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1903- 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M *w H 351E 15 I W x m n "Imam: "I ll No. 759,972. PATENTED MAY 17, 1904.

T. G. DEXTER.

SHEET REGISTERING MECHANISM. APPLIOATION FILED sgrw. 17, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 17, 1904.

PATENI OFFICE.

SHEET-REGISTERING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,972, dated May 17,1904.

Application filed September 1'7, 1903. Serial No. 173,499. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LTALBOT C. DEXTER, a citizen of the United States,residing-at Pearl River, in the county of Rockland and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and use- 'ful Improvements inSheet-Registering Mech anlsm, of whlch the following 18 a speclfication.

In Patent No. 669,724, granted to me March 12, 1901, for sheet-conveyerframes, I have disclosed and claimed a side-registering mechanism forregistering the successive sheets of paper which are passed from anautomatic paper-feeding machine to a printing-press or other machinedesigned to operate upon the sheets. The present invention may beconsidered an improvement upon the side-regis tering mechanism coveredby said patent, the object of the present invention being to improve theconstruction of said mechanism.

The main feature in the present case is the provision for automaticallywithdrawing the registering-face of the side-registering mechanism fromthe edge ofthe sheet immediately after a sheet has been registered torelieve the sheet from engagement of the registering-face while it isbeing drawn ofl of the feed-board by the printing-press or othermachine. The withdrawal of the registering-gage during the passage ofthe sheet from the feed-board is also important in relieving thegage-faee from the wear which it is subjectedto if left in contact withthe sheet while the sheet is in modrawal of the registering-gage afterthe sheet is registered is practlcall y necessary to prevent the tearingof the rough edge of the sheet.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, 1 will firstdescribe the same with reference to the accompanying drawingsandafterward point out the novelty with more particularity in theannexed claims.

' In said drawings, Figure 1 is a detail side.

elevation of a sheet-conveying frame, representing my improvedsheet-registering mechanism in operative position thereon. Fig. 2

In feeding deckel-edge sheets the withsimilar view looking from the sideof the conveyer-frame toward the center. vertical transverse sectionalview of the registering mechanism. Figs 6, f7, and 8 are detail views ofparts of the improved mechanism.

As fully explained in my above-named patent,No. 669,72 1, I arrange twoside-registering mechanisms in reverse positions in relation to eachother near the opposite sides of the conveyer-frame. This arrangement isimportant for the reason that in the operation of feeding paper to anordinary printing-press the sheet must be passed through the press twicefor printing both sides, the sheet being registered at one side when itis fed to the press the first time and turned over sidewise, so that thesame edge can be registered at the opposite slde of the conveyer-framewhen t is fed to the press the second time, the same front edge of thesheet being presented to the front erating mechanism, by which one orthe other of the registering mechanisms may be employed, depending uponwhich side of the sheet is to be registered. The general plan ofoperation of the two sets of registering mechanism being fully explainedin my abovenamed patent, I will confine my description in the presentcase to theimproved structure of one of said mechanisms.

5 is the feed-board, 6 theimpression-cylinder, and 7 the front gages, ofa hinting-press.

8 is part of theframework of a paper-feeding machine, and 2 is theconveyer-framc, which transfers the successive sheets from the automaticfeeder to the printing press.

Each of the transversely-movahle bars 1 of the side-registeringmechanism has rigidly secured to its outer end a bracket 10 and freelyjournaled upon a set-screw 11 inside of the Fig. 5 is a bracket 10 anantifriction-roller 12. The purpose of bracket 10 and roller 12 willpresently be explained.

15 isthe registering plate or bracket, formed with integral guide-lugs16, which embrace the reciprocating bar 1 and enable the plate orbracket 15 to be adjusted inwardly and outwardly upon the bar. Theregistering mechanism proper is mounted upon the plate or bracket 15, aswill presently be explained.

is an auxiliary bracket or yoke formed with integral lugs 21,-whichembrace the bar 1, and 22 is a set-screw threaded through the yoke 20 inposition to engage the bar 1 for rigidly securing yoke 20 in the desiredadjusted position upon the bar, A screw 25 is rigidly secured at 26 toan arm 27, projecting up from the plate or bracket 15, said screw 25extending horizontally through a central opening formed in the yoke 20.Adjustingnujts3O and 31 are threaded upon the screw 25-upon oppositesides of the yoke 20 forthe purpose of adjusting the registeringmechanism inwardly and outwardly upon the supporting-bar 1. In adjustingthe mechanism the set-screw 22 is loosened and the registering plate orbracket 15 and. connected yoke 20 are moved inwardly or outwardly uponbar 1 to bring the registering mechanism to the approximate positiondesired. The screw 22 is th'enscrewed in to clamp the yoke 20, and bymeans ofnuts 30 and 31 the registering mechanism is accurately moved tothe exact position for properly registering the sheets.

Detachably secured to the upper face of the registering-plate 15 is abracket 35, secured toplate 15*by means of the hand-screw 36.Thisbracket 35 has two transverse bearings 37 and 38, two longitudinalbearings 39 and 40, and a hook-bearing 41, all for the purpose whichwill presently be explained.

is the. main operating rock-shaft of the registering mechanism,jsaidshaft being freely journaled in the bracket-bearing 10 at one end, thebracket-bearing 46 at its inner end, and the bearings 37 and 38 betweenits ends.

A, double rock-arm 50is splined to the shaft 45 between the bearings 37and 38, said rockarm having a lateral pin 51 at one end, upon which isfreely journaled the eyebolt 52, supportingaspring 53 and passingfreelythrough a pivot-block 54, which is freely journaled in thehook-bearing41 of the supporting-bracket. The rock-arm 50 carries at itsopposite end a laterally-projecting pin 55, which engages the elongatedslot56, formed in the upper end of a link 57, which is in turn freelyjournaled at its lower end upon a pin 58, projecting from the inner faceof a lug 59, formedintegral with the gripping-jaw 60. The gripping-jaw6O isformed upon the free end of a curved arm or lever 61, which isfreely journaled at 62 upon a vertical web 63of the bracket 35. Byrocking the shaft 45 the gripper 60 is raised from or clamped againstthe registering-plate 15, the spring-actuated eyebolt 52 operatingbetween the pivoted block 54 and, the lever 50, causing a snap action inthe opening and closing of the gripper, as explained in my above-namedpatent. By reason of the slotted-link connection 57 between theoperatinglever 50 and the gripper-jaw proper I amenabled to confine themovement of the gripper-jaw to the slightest possible extent, suificientonly to free a sheet of paper, the main part of the movement of thelever 50 to allow for its snap action past its center being taken up bythe movement of'the pin 55 in the slot 56 of the link 57. Directlybeneath the gripper 60 the plate 15 is cut out to receiveasteelwear-plate ,65, against which the gripper-jaw operates or between whichand the jaw the sheet is clamped.

7 O is the usual curved guiding-shoe, rigidly mounted at 71 and 72 uponthe bracket 35. This shoe guides the forward corner or edge of themoving sheet into position above the registering-plate 15, the shoebeing cut out at 3 to allow for the operation of the registering-gripper60.

At one side of the gripping wear plate 65 the registering-plate 15 iscut out or slotted, as shown at 75,: for the reception of thesideregistering gage 76. This gage 76 is formed with a steelwearing-face 7 6 and is rigidly mounted upon a depending rock-arm 77,secured to the short rock-shaft 78, which is freely journaled in thebearing 39, and 40 of the bracket 35, A rock-arm 79 is secured to theshaft7 8 adjacent to the bearing 39,, said arm 79 being formed with aweb or projection 79*, which rests directly beneath the gripperoperatinglever 50. AJtension-spring 80 is coiled upon theshaft 7 8, one endengaging a part of the bracket 35 at 81, while the other end engages apin 82, projecting from the rockarm 79. This spring 80 tends to hold theregistering plate 76 in its inner registering position that is, with itsregistering-face 76 in engagement with the inner wall of the slot orcut-way portion 75. In this normal registering position it will beobserved that the registering-face projects above the lowergripping-face 65 of the registering-plate 15 to engage the edge of asheet when it is moved inwardly for this purpose.

is one of a pair of longitudinally-movable cam bars whose inclined face85 operates upon the antifriction-roller 12 for moving theregister-supporting bar 1 outwardly against the tendency of the spring3.v This cam-plate 85 is formed with lugs 86 and 87, in which arethreaded the adjustable tappetscrews 88 and 89, which are adapted toengage the in or web 90, secured to the operating rock-shaft 45 andprojecting upwardly therefrom into the path of said tappet-screw. The

reciprocating cam-plate85 has pivotally connected to its rear end a rodor pitman 95,

which is journaled to the lower end of a lever 96, pivoted at 97 uponthe feeder-frame 8 and carrying at its upper end an antifriction-roller98, which operates in peripheral contact with a cam 99, formed with amain low portion 99, an intermediate portion 99", and a high portion 99.This cam 99 is mounted upon one of the shafts of the feeding-machine, sothat in its rotation it will cause the cam-plate 85 to operatingmechanism.

, moved with the other parts of the registering mechanism supported uponthe bracket 35.

WVhen the mechanism is thus removed, the sheet is entirely free at itsside opposite to the register edge.

The operation of the device will be clear with a few words ofexplanation. The forward movement of cam-plate 85 allows theantifriction-rollerlZ to travel down the inclined face 85 under theaction of spring 3. This action takes place immediately after a sheethas reached the front guides of the printing-press, its registering edgebeing properly presented between the registering-plate 15 and theguideshoe 70. As the registering mechanism moves inwardly the registryedge of the sheet will engage the registering-face 7 6 of the gage 76,the gripping-jaw 60 being of course elevated while this is taking place.As the registering mechanism reaches the limit of its inward movementthe tappet-screw 88 will be brought into engagement with the fin90,which will cause the shaft to be rocked forwardly, the spring 53throwing the lever quickly past its center of movement to force thegripper'jaw into engagement with the edge of the sheet which rests incontact with the registering-gage 76. At this point in the operation theantifriction-roller 98 is in contact with the low portion 99 of the cam.Immediately after this part of the operation the intermediate portion99" of the cam draws the cam-plate rearwardly, with the result that thebar 1, carrying the registering mechanism and the gripped sheet, will bequickly moved outwardly or toward the side of the conveyorframe, andwhen the registering mechanism reaches the limit of its outward strokethe tappet-screw 89 will be brought into contact with the fin 90 forrocking shaft 45 rearwardly to reverse the action of lever 50 and openthe gripper. Immediately after the sheet has been released by thegripper the high portion 99 of the cam engages the antifriction-roller98 for giving the cam-plate 85 a slight further backward impulse, withthe result that the shaft 45 will be rocked rearwardly an additionalimpulse to cause the rock-arm 50 to engage the rock-arm 79 and force thegage member 76 outwardly away from the registering edge of the sheet.The impression-cylinder grippers then take hold of theproperly-registered sheet and draw it from the feed-board, the highportion 99 of the cam 99 being of suflicient extent to hold theregistering-gage 76 away from the registered edge of the sheet duringthe entire time that the sheet is being carried from the feed-board bythe press. In the opening movement of the gripper-jaw the rock-arm 79acts as a stop for the downward movement of rear end of operating-arm50, the spring 80 being snfiiciently strong to sustain arm 79 forthispurpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of avreciprocatory sheet supporting and registering plate, with a grippermovable toward and away from said plate, a rock-shaft, means foroperating said rock-shaft, an arm secured to said rock-shaft, and a linkconnecting the gripper and arm and having a pivotal connection with oneof said parts and a pin-and-slot connection with the other of saidparts,.substantially as set forth.

2. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of areciprocatory sheet supporting and registering plate, with apivdtally-mounted gripper-arm carrying a paper-gripping head which ismovable toward and away from said plate, a rock-shaft, means foroperating said rock-shaft, an arm secured to said rock-shaft, and a linkconnecting the gripper and arm and having a pivotal con nection with oneof said parts and a pin-andslot connection with the other of said parts,substantially as set forth.

3. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of areciprocatory sheet supporting and registering plate, with a grippermovable toward and away from said plate, a rock-shaft, means foroperating said rock-shaft, an arm secured to said rock-shaft, andsuitably connected with said gripper, a sheet-registering gage movableinto and out of registering position with relation 'to said plate, andmeans operated by said rock-shaft for moving said gage out ofregistering position, substantially as set forth.

4.. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of areciprocatory the gripper in open position and the gage in registeringposition, then close the gripper and withdraw the plate with the gripperclosed, and finally open the gripper and move the gage back out ofregistering position to free the sheet, substantially as set forth.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of areciprocatory sheet supporting and registering plate, with a movablesheet-registering gage supported in operative relation to said plate, agripper movable toward and away from said plate, and a rock-shaftoperatively connected with the gripper and registering-plate,substantially as set forth. l

6. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of areciprocatory sheet supporting and registering plate, with asheet-registering gage, a rock-shaft upon which said gage is mounted, acontrolling rock-arm upon said shaft, a spring holding said gagenormally in registering position, a gripper movable toward and away fromsaid plate, a gripper-operating rock-shaft, an arm or lever mounted uponthe gripper-operating rock-shaft and adapted to engage and actuate thegage-controlling rock-arm, and a connection between said arm or leverand said gripper, substantially as set forth.

7. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of areciprocatory sheet supporting and registering plate, with a grippermovable toward and away from said plate, a rock-shaft carrying arock-arm, means I for operating said rock-shaft, a connection betweensaid rock-arm and said gripper, a double-acting spring device engagingsaid rockarm for holding it in either shifted position, a movable gagemounted upon a rockshaft and adapted to be shifted into and out ofregistering position with relation to the plate, a spring normallyholding said gage in registering position, and an arm on the gagerockshaft extending beneath the gripper-operating rock arm, the gageholding spring being stronger than the spring of said double-actingspring device, and said arm of the gage rockshaft acting as a stop forthe gripper rock-arm and as a means for withdrawing the gage from theedge of the sheet, substantially as set forth.

I TALBOT (J. DEXTER. Witnesses:

J. GREEN, WM. E. KNIGHT.

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